Archive for the 'Agnostic Front' Tag Under 'Soundcheck' Category

February 8th, 2012, 10:25 pm by KELLI SKYE FADROSKI, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Times haven't always been easy for Orange County-based hardcore punks Death by Stereo. But after 15 years, dozens of domestic and international tours, numerous member changes and a fistful of albums, the band has definitely showed staying power.

With its sixth studio album Black Sheep of the American Dream ready to drop in April – and a new label to back it, Viking Funeral Records, founded by Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge – DBS is currently on a European tour with Agnostic Front that kicked off last week in Germany. The group is slated to perform at several late-summer festivals and is working on packing in as many shows as possible between now and then to support the new release.

Back home, the quintet – vocalist Efrem Schulz, guitarists Dan Palmer and J.P. Gericke, drummer Mike Cambra and bassist Paul Miner – has been nominated in the best metal category for a third year in a row at the coming OC Music Awards. Though they lost to good friends Atreyu in 2010 and Avenged Sevenfold last year, Death by Stereo remains hopeful the third time really will be the charm. They've even been practicing a little speech should they finally score the honor during the March 3 ceremony at City National Grove of Anaheim.

“It gets more and more exciting every time, especially when we don't win every time,” Palmer says, leans against an old beat-up car in his driveway. “But we're going to win this time and we want to say: ‘Thank you, Orange County.' That's our acceptance speech.”

“I don't know what I would say, I've never won an award before,” Schulz (pictured) adds as he fidgets with his hands, unable to stand still for more than two seconds at a time. “I'd probably (just) say thank you.”

I bet that happens again when OMD comes back in the fall for two more shows -- including their first visit to O.C. in at least a quarter-century. (Or is it ever?)

The electro pioneers will first play Oct. 6 at House of Blues Anaheim, $27.50 in advance, $30 day of show, $42.50 for stools in the balcony, $57.50 for pew seats ... then the group will head to Club Nokia on Oct. 7, $32.50-$38.50. Both go on sale Friday, July 8, at 10 a.m., while tickets for an Oct. 9 appearance at Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay in San Diego, $40, become available Saturday at 10 a.m.

But that's only one of four attractions performing at both the Mouse House and elsewhere. Gomez, the British sextet that just issued its seventh album, Whatever's on Your Mind, appears Oct. 4 at HOB Anaheim, then heads to HOB Sunset on Oct. 5. Tickets for either show are $22.50 in advance, $25 day of show. Both are on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Meanwhile, Rancid, who we previously learned will play Pomona's Fox Theater on Sept. 9, $23, also will play the Downtown Disney joint on Sept. 7, with Agnostic Front opening. Tickets, $22.50, are on sale now.

April 4th, 2011, 11:48 am by KELLI SKYE FADROSKI, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

It seems like Rise Against could pretty much take any fellow punk band on tour at this point. In 2009, the punk rock quartet from Chicago -- vocalist and rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, bassist Joe Principe, lead guitarist Zach Blair and drummer Brandon Barnes -- approached their longtime idols in Rancid to see if they'd be interested in joining them as opening act. The guys were floored when Rancid agreed to hit the road on the group's arena outing that year.

Now, with a new album to promote (Endgame, which dropped March 15), Rise Against is once more touring the States and is bringing along another of the genre's heavy hitters: Bad Religion. As if one legendary punk act wasn't enough, Descendents, who haven't played a show in Southern California since 1997, also will perform when the tour stops for a sold-out show at Long Beach Arena on Thursday.

The members of Rise Against aren't letting any of this go to their heads. They're much too in shock and awe to even think about getting cocky.

“It's definitely one of my dream tours,” Principe says during a recent interview. “Last year we were with Rancid, which was a total dream tour that we thought would never happen. So now (Bad Religion) ... it's just great.”

As for Descendents hopping on board, it helped that the band's drummer, Bill Stevenson, has been Rise Against's longtime producer, helming Endgame as well as 2008's breakthrough Appeal to Reason, The Sufferer & the Witness from two years earlier and Revolutions Per Minute in 2003. The idea had been brought up several times during this most recent recording process; finally, Principe says, the stars were aligned and Stevenson agreed to make it happen.